The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 18, 1996
Filed:
Apr. 19, 1995
Maurice Grenier, Paris, FR;
Abstract
In a process for the production of gaseous oxygen under pressure at a variable flow rate, of the type in which air is distilled in an air distillation installation comprising a distillation apparatus (7) and a heat exchange line (6) to cool the air by heat exchange with the products from the distillation apparatus; liquid oxygen is withdrawn from this apparatus, brought to a vaporization pressure, vaporized and reheated under this pressure in the heat exchange line, this vaporization and this reheating being accompanied by a liquefaction of air in the air liquefaction passages (21; 21,21A) of the heat exchange line. During a reduction of the demand for gaseous oxygen under pressure, relative to the nominal flow rate, excess oxygen produced by the distillation apparatus is withdrawn from this apparatus, in liquid phase, sent to a receptacle (11) for the storage of liquid oxygen, and there is introduced into the distillation apparatus (7) a previously stored (in 13) corresponding additional quantity of liquid air; and during an increase in the demand for gaseous oxygen under pressure relative to the nominal flow rate, the required excess oxygen is withdrawn, in liquid phase, from the liquid oxygen storage receptacle (11), brought (in 12) to the vaporization pressure, and vaporized under this pressure (in 18) in the heat exchange line (6), and there is stored a corresponding quantity of air liquefied by said vaporization, in the liquid air storage receptacle. The liquid oxygen is stored under a pressure in the neighborhood of atmospheric pressure, while the liquid air is stored under a storage pressure substantially greater than the highest operating pressure of the distillation apparatus.